Report and pics by Micky Morgan
Ballygalget ran out overall winners Saturday’s St Endas U 10 Tournament with a Cup final win over Cula of Dublin.
With 24 teams from seven counties participating, this was going to take some organising, and the Glengormley club didn’t disappoint. From the young referees for every game, to the packed lunches for each team, they had all bases covered.Following a parade of teams and mentors to the field, four groups of six were played. Following a short delay due to a thunder and lighting storm, the top two teams in each group went through to the quarter finals of the Cup with third and fourth going in to the Shield and fifth and sixth placed teams going into the Plate.
The teams vying for honours in the Plate were, Keady, Davitts, Eoghan Ruadh, Ballycran, St Endas, Na Magha, St Galls and Glenarrife. St Galls and Eoghan Ruadh made it through to the final with the St Galls boys coming away with the win.
Ballygalget captain Oisin Braniff lifts the Liam McCarthy Cup after his teams win over Culla in the Naomh Eanna final at Hightown. Pic by Micky Morgan
In the Shield, Lavey, Ballycastle, Sarsfields, Bredagh, St Endas, Naomh Eanna, Lamh Dearg and Omagh went head to head, with Sarsfields up against the hosts in the final. It was the Paddies who came out on top here, taking the Shield back to the West.
On to the Cup, where Dunloy, Cushendall, Loughiel, Gort na Mona, Ballygalget, Kevin Lynch’s, St Pauls, and Cula played out for the title of overall winner. In what was possibly the most entertaining match of the day, Dunloy overcame Cushendall in a thriller in the quarter final, but eventually ran out of steam in the semi-final against Dublin kingpins, Cula. Loughiel beat Gort na Mona to set up a semi-final with Ballygalget who had earlier beaten Kevin Lynch’s. The ‘Galget boys overcame Loughiel and took on Cula in the final. By no means the biggest team on the day, great determination and some great hurling, especially in the second half saw Down boys claim victory. After a fine acceptance speech from their captain, the young ‘Galget boys got to lift the Liam Mc Carthy cup which was up in Glengormley for the day.
